


Cordelia the Vampire Slayer

by Weasy



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Wishverse, Canon Relationships, F/M, Humor, Wishes, episodic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-04-16
Updated: 2004-04-16
Packaged: 2018-12-26 02:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12049809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weasy/pseuds/Weasy
Summary: Cordelia gets angry when Angel turns her down and wishes she had been the Slayer instead of Buffy. Alternate wishverse.





	Cordelia the Vampire Slayer

**Author's Note:**

> I was pretty young when I wrote this (in the early 00s!) it's not perfect and I dithered about bothering to move it on to Ao3, but I still think it's a fun idea. I've read through it but not done much more than correct the odd spelling.
> 
> The basic gist is that it's set just post Beer Bad/A Room With A View, The Wish has happened on Buffy but not Doppelgangland. Cordelia is still mostly bitchy, as she was back then. I was quite grumpy at the idea of C/A at the time!

**Part One**  
_Now everybody loves me, baby_  
What's the matter with you?  
Won't you tell me what did I do to offend you?  
**Everybody Loves Me, Baby – Don McLean**

Cordelia stormed back into her apartment and slammed the door behind her, Dennis, ever the helpful spirit caught the door just before it could bang on the frame and gently settled it into it's hinges. "Dennis! When I slam the door, I want it to slam, Okay?!" she yelled throwing her scarf at the door, in a somewhat futile attempt to hit him. Stomping into the kitchen she shed her coat and dropped it on the floor, letting Dennis hang it for her, and wrenching the kettle off it's stand began to fill it with water. Halfway through this task her frustration got the better of her, and she slung it down onto the counter beside her, turning to glare at her Phantom. "I can't believe him! He is… *urgh* he is just such an asshole!" Now pacing, she began to list her grievances on her fingers. "I tell him about Parker and all he does is bitch and moan… and he never listens to how I feel about things… and he never sees how she's using him! It's always-"

The doorbell ringing interrupted her tirade. Pulling a face, Cordy smoothed down her dress and glanced in the mirror in the hall to check she was still looking presentable, Cordy opened, the door sweet smile at the ready.

Seeing the well-dressed curly haired girl in front of her slightly put her off guard. "Hi!" The girl said brightly.

"Hi." Cordy replied. She had no idea who the girl was but she wasn't going to let her know that. She looked vaguely familiar she had to say. What if she was important? Though if she were important she'd've remembered her, in which case… "What do you want?"

"I just moved in next door." The girl explained, "and well... this is LA I thought it'd be party town, but…" leaning forward she whispered, "but everyone here is toe-up, I mean… that guy down the hall? He was wearing a white wife-beater over his beer-belly when he opened the door. It's so fifties it's unreal." Leaning back she glanced at Cordy's outfit appreciatively. "I thought you might know where all the cool kids hang."

Pleased with the compliment Cordy opened the door and smiled. "Well you came to the right place… I'm sorry I look such a mess. My boss was being a jerk today." Showing her to the sofa they sat down together. "Anyway, I'm Cordy, and I'd love to show you around."

"I'm Anya, Anya Emerson." The girl smiled.

 

Buffy was feeling oddly free as she jumped over the gravestone and readied for the next attack from the fledgling she was fighting. Waiting for it to straighten up she met his head with a high roundhouse kick and followed it with a combination of punches Giles had taught her that morning. With her attacker now prone in the grass it was short work to shove a stake through his chest. Feeling the dust settle on her shirt she brushed it off and feeling the cool air tickle the back of her neck she glanced around the cemetery for her next opponent.

Hearing a scream in the distance she set off at a slayer speed run, smiling wistfully to herself. A Slayers job was never done.

 

"- He was such an ass, I swear I always wished he'd spontaneously combust someday so I could dance on his dust." Anya laughed and comfortable next to her, Cordy laughed as well, reaching for the wine; feeling Dennis' hand on hers she shook him off.

"'m fine, Dennisss." She slurred. "Y'know…" Cordy turned her attention back to Anya. "Y'know what I always wished…" Shaking her head, she changed tack, oblivious to the frustrated look on Anya's face. "'S all about the strength… you gotta be 'pecial wiv Angel… but I'm special, don't you think I'm special?" She asked Anya."

"Oh, yeah, you're a real sweet thing, I don't know what this Angel guy doesn't see in you." Anya agreed… "Don't you wish you could do anything you wanted to him?"

"'S all about the power… if I had the power he'd want me, not her…" shaking her head again in an attempt to shake away the alcohol clouds she said perfectly lucidly. "I wish… I was her. I wish I was the Slayer, and Buffy was just some girl, then we'd see who Angel really loved."

The flash of light was blinding; a small storm whipped up around the pair, as Anya's face reverted to its true pinch-skinned demonic form, Cordy gasped in shock.

"Now I remember you!" She muttered.

Anyanka just smiled. "So mote it be!"

"Oh… seriously!" Cordelia cried as everything descended into darkness.

 

When she awoke a vampire was leaning over her, his hot breath heavy on her neck. Squealing at the grossness of the situation she shoved him hard, surprised at how far the simple push has spent him sprawling. The power she had felt as her arms moved… "Damn it." She muttered. A glance down revealed the stake in her grip, and she sighed in relief, at least she had a weapon.

"Slayer…" The vampire hissed, flipping up onto his feet, and rushing her again. Stepping a little to the side, as she had often seen Buffy do, she held the stake slightly out to the other, and hoped the Vampire would just run into it. As luck would have it, he did. But as he collapsed on the ground grunting in pain and wrapping his fists around the stake she couldn't comprehend why he hadn't gone all dusty.

Stepping back and surveying him, she finally worked out what was wrong. "Oh… missed the heart." Pulling a face at what she had to do she dropped to her feet and wrenched the stake out of the vampire's chest, feeling his blood splattering her white muslin shirt as she did so. "Hey!" lectured, "That's never gunna come out!"

Using her distraction to his advantage, the vampire sat up and shoved her away, scrambling to his feet he fled. Seeing him run Cordy struggled to her feet as well. "Slaying's not too hard." She muttered. "Don't see what she's always complaining about." Glancing around her she sighed. "Now why the hell am I in Sunnyhell Cemetery?" 

It was most definitely time to find Giles.

She met five more vampires on the way from the Cemetery to Giles' house, as much as she had suppressed her memories of living in the town, she didn't remember it ever being this bad, and part of her feared what else might be wrong. "Oh, God!" She paused, "What if I'm still dating Xander?"

She managed a few more feet before stopping in shock as another thought struck fear through her bones. "Oh my God! What if they actually made me Buffy! I mean it would explain this outfit…" She glanced down again at the worn jeans and white (now pinkish-red) shirt with the white vest top underneath. "And the talking to myself…" Raising her hands to her face she studied them intently. "Okay… I'm pretty sure those are my hands… but I don't really remember what my hands look like. Damn it! Why didn't I look at my hands more!"

A good-looking guy passing by her on the sidewalk giving her an odd look as she ranted to herself, he walked in a circle round her. Eyeing him disdainfully Cordy tried to pull herself together a bit more. "Now, if only I had a mirror…" She muttered.

Finally seeing Giles condo she rushed down the steps to the courtyard in front of it, and flying past the fountain she battered her fists against the door. When the door opened she practically fell in, and shoving Giles aside she ran into the bathroom seeing her own reflection staring back at her, she almost kissed the mirror from relief. Though… in that stupid old sci-fi show Xander used to make her watch, the guy always looked like a different person, but when he looked at himself, he saw him… or was that symbolic?

Running back out of the bathroom Cordy grabbed Giles by the arm and spun him round. "Giles! Please tell me I look like me!"

"What?"

"Who am I?" She demanded.

Giles' eyes widened in confusion… "You're Cordelia Chase, the Vampire Slayer… are you quite alright?"

Collapsing on the sofa in relief Cordelia shook her head. "No. I'm not all right… in fact where I am now? That's about two hours from alright." Eyes glancing round the room, she sighed and sat up a little to look in Giles' eyes. "Okay what I'm going to tell you isn't going to make a lot of sense, but you have to believe me."

Sitting down next to her Giles sat down and smiled patting her stiffly on the knee. "As your Watcher I'm sure I'll be able to find the solution."

Cordy raised one eyebrow. "'Kay… well whatever. I'm not the Slayer." Giles eyed her anxiously. "Well, I am the Slayer…" Cordy amended, "but I'm not meant to be. Buffy is the real Slayer."

Giles nodded reassuringly. "Who's Buffy?"

"Buffy… y'know, Buffy Summers… the Vampire Slayer." Giles continued to nod blankly. "Oh boy!" Cordy smacked her head against the coffee table. "This is just great! Why don't you just rain fire on me now and get it over with!" she moaned.

"I'll just make some tea." Giles suggested.

While Giles was shuffling around in the kitchen another person entered the room, hearing the door creak; Cordy twisted her head to see who had come in. Seeing black trousers and a leather coat, Cordy jumped up and threw her arms around the visitor. "Angel! I'm so glad you're here!"

Her jumpee patted her back nervously, before shuffling around to call to the kitchen. "Uh… Giles! Something's wrong with Cordy!" hearing the dulcet tones of her ex, instead of Angel's smooth rumble as expected Cordy jumped back.

"Xander!" She yelped before swiftly kicking him in the shin. Seeing him bend over in pain, she realised she'd forgotten about his super-strong Slayer strength. Collapsing on the sofa she offered no apology. "Jeez – What are you doing? Running round looking like Angel…"

"Uh… Giles!" Xander repeated, before turning back to Cordy he eyed her with extreme caution. "Cordy, you just brought me this outfit and told me to go try it on – and I have to say I don't think it's very me… Don't you remember?" Sitting down, he ran a hand through his hair, before angrily demanding "Who the hell is Angel anyway?"

"A guy who would be really useful round about now." Cordy finally sighed. "I can't believe that neither Buffy or Angel is here… how the hell am I going to sort out this mess now?"

Giles emerged form the kitchen and setting down the tray of tea Giles took of his glasses and began to clean them, setting them back on the bridge of his nose he motioned for Cordy to talk. "Now, how much don't you remember?

"It's not a case of not remembering, Giles! I remember everything perfectly… I just appear to remember different things to you." Getting up she began to pace in front of the pair. "I don't live in Sunnydale anymore…" She held up a hand when Giles moved to interrupt, "I don't. I moved to LA after graduation and I've spent the past few months working for Angel at his detective agency. About an hour ago I made a wish that I was the Slayer instead of Buffy… and now this has happened. But this world is *wrong* and there has to be someway of turning it back…"

"Ahuh… and do the Smurfs live in your homeland?" Xander asked.

"Xander!" Giles scolded, "This is incredibly serious, Cordelia must have been infected with some kind of poison that's giving her these hallucinations and fake memories."

"Hello?" Cordy echoed, "Standing right here? And perfectly able to tell you what happened. Now go… Watch or whatever it is you do and sort this out."

"Please Cordelia, you must listen to us, you're sick and-"

"Screw this." Cordy finally muttered "I'm gunna find Buffy myself… then you'll see." And with that Cordy stormed out of Giles house, unable to stop her Xander and Giles shared a worried glance.

"Well this could be very bad." Xander finally said.

 

**Part Two**

Cordelia wandered through Sunnydale; grateful for the pink rays of dawn on the horizon that was keeping the bad guys away. A quick visit to her old house had reassured her that if nothing else in this world was consistent, the IRS was. She had virtually no money, a quick search of her clothes told her she had no cell-phone either, she had no idea where she was living. She knew Willow and Buffy were living at UC Sunnydale in her world, but here she had been told that Willow had not gone to UCS, Cordelia quickly deduced without Buffy she must have gone to some other University. The whole thing sucked, without Willow, and with Giles thinking she was crazy she had no idea how to put everything back.

She knew Buffy had gone to Hemery in LA but when she'd called them from a payphone they refused to tell her anything but that she hadn't graduated last year. Her last hope was a demon bar she'd often heard discussion of: Willie's. The whole problem with that was that she'd never been there and consequently didn't know where it was.

 

Xander had returned, freshly changed into his normal jeans and a brightly coloured shirt, having had no luck in finding Cordelia. Sighing Giles poured himself another cup of tea and let his fingers linger over the phone.

"I guess we'd better warn this Buffy girl that a crazy slayer is heading her way." Xander cued, and Giles nodded finally picking up the handset.

"The problem is," Giles replied, "I have no idea how to explain it, without sounding crazy myself."

"Always a challenge." Xander agreed, "I'm gunna go get Oz and see if he can help track her with his wolfie nose."

"Good idea." Giles sighed, before dialling the required digits into the phone he watched as Xander left. "Hello, I'd like the number of Buffy Summers… No, I'm afraid I don't know the area, just give me the number of all the Buffy Summers in California, please." He waited for a moment, before scribbling something down on the paper in front of him. "Yes, that certainly is helpful… ahuh, yes it is an unusual name." Letting the phone drop back into its receiver with a click he took a moment to study the number in front of him. Helpfully there was only one Buffy Summers in the whole of California. Picking up the handset again he began to dial.

 

She found Willie's eventually, a ramshackle establishment catering primarily to the demon underworld, but assorted other criminals as well, and Cordy loathed to enter, the feeling of the eyes of all the regulars on her was akin bugs crawling over her skin.

"Slayer!" Willie greeted her in a loud voice, approaching the bar Cordy kept a reasonable half a meter away from it, fear of catching hepatitis preventing her from touching anything.

She nodded in greeting. "Where's Angel?" She demanded in her best menacing voice.

"Don't know no Angel." Willie shrugged eyes dancing over the regulars who had shrunk back into their seats.

"Why don't I believe you?" She tried.

Willie shrugged nervously again before leaning forward. "Ask Spike." He muttered.

"Fine." She sighed. "Where's Spike?"

Willie shrugged, "He should be back from LA, probably went to the Bronze to hunt." His eyes went wide. "I mean… to er, dance and sing… 'cos he's just that kind of vamp…"

Not knowing what to say to that Cordy just left, she didn't see why it should be shocking to the Slayer that Spike was going to kill people that was what he normally did. Sighing to herself she headed to the Bronze and hoped it was still open, 'cos at least she knew where that was.

 

"Buffy Summers?"

"Yep." Buffy replied curling up on the sofa in her new apartment she yawned a little, having been woken by the phone ringing at this deeply early hour, she glared at the flashing video clock that read five thirty. "What's the emergency?"

"My name is Rupert Giles, You won't-"

"Oh, hey," Buffy replied, "Hang on - I've got a message for you somewhere."

Giles paused. "I'm sorry I don't…"

"No, it's not from me, you see I only just moved back to LA a couple of weeks ago, before then I was working on a case in New York and I met a certain red headed Wicca who holds you in very high esteem."

"Willow? How is she?" Giles inquired.

"She's doing great, well… great once we vanquished the demon from quor'toth that was attacking her hall, she was doing pretty well on her own though, she kept anyone from getting hurt 'til we could deal with it." Buffy laughed at some private memory and Giles wondered what it might have been.

"I take it you're aware of the preternatural then?"

"Quite definitely, is there something you'd like help with?"

"Perhaps, if you've met Willow she might have told you about Cordelia… the Vampire Slayer?"

"The name rings a bell."

"Well, I believe her to have been infected by some kind demonic poison, she firmly believes that you were intended to be the Slayer instead of her… anyway, she left my house last night quite irrational and looking for you."

"That's kinda weird, given that I've never met her. Well, thanks for the heads up, if she turns up what do you want me to do?"

"Well… bring her back here." Giles finally decided leaving an address he paused before hanging off, "You don't happen to know some person called Angel as well?"

Buffy laughed, "As it happens, he's my husband, do you want to speak with him?"

"No, no… it's quite alright, but perhaps you should bring him with you when you bring Cordelia."

"Sure thing…" The conversation wrapped itself up and Buffy hung up the receiver, smiling quietly to herself as Angel handed her a cup of extra strong coffee, before sitting down beside her and settling his sleep-filled gaze on her. She curled into his side and kissed his chest before sipping her coffee.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, pressing a kiss into her blonde hair as they watched the sun rising on the horizon.

"Possible trip to Sunnydale."

"Hmm… really?" He muttered as he hands began to skim down his wife's body.

"Not for a while yet." Buffy reassured him; putting her drink on the side she shifted to straddle Angel's lap and seized his mouth in hot kisses.

It was a while before Cordy found Spike, and as soon as she did she wished she'd brought a weapon with her… not that she really knew how to use any of them… but Spike wouldn't have known that. Spike for his part didn't seem very interested in attacking her, instead he was leering at her suggestively, trying to ignore this, Cordy ploughed on with her task.

"Where's Angel?" She demanded.

Spike shrugged, "In LA… shagging his girl, I s'pect."

Cordy blinked, "Shagging? Oh dear god. This world just gets crappier and crappier." Collapsing on the sofa next to Spike she watched as the hormonally charged residents of Sunnydale writhed on the dance floor. She never remembered the club being so busy, sighing she tried to ignore the weird itch in her belly that was making her so uncomfortable.

"What 'bout you?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Cordy snapped, turning to face him, she felt his hand run down her leg. "What the *hell* are you doing?" She demanded.

"Nothing I haven't before." Spike laughed, turning on her heel Cordy fled the Bronze, pushing her way through the crowds she saw blurs of fangs and red and realised with a sick lurch that the whole place was filled with vampires. Rushing out the steel door she ran through the alleyways in the morning light and was a million times grateful that Spike had allowed her to leave. She couldn't believe that this Cordy… the Cordy she was now, had slept with him, worse she'd got the vibe this morning from Xander that they were still going out. Being the Slayer appeared to have given her extremely questionable morals… but as much as she hated Buffy she knew that she wasn't like that, that she wouldn't have done that… not with Spike. Throwing a crate at the wall she watched as it splintered into a thousand pieces, propelled by her super-strength, showering her with pieces of wood, she cried out in frustration. Everything was just so wrong!

 

A few hours later Cordelia was wrapped in a blanket and sitting on Giles sofa sipping tea. Giles, Oz and Xander stood a little way off anxiously discussing what could be done. "She hasn't said a word since we found her just sitting in that alley."

Giles sighed, anxiously cleaning his glasses before replacing them. "This Buffy, person, whom Cordelia was raving about, she is real… and she's a demon fighter I called her earlier and she was willing to help, I think perhaps we ought to bring her here… see if she can make any sense of this, since she's clearly involved."

"And Angel?" Xander asked.

"Is her husband…" Giles shrugged. "I don't know anything more, would you help Cordelia into the spare room, she ought to get some rest if we're going to be questioning her later.

"Sure." Voicing his agreement Xander moved away and whispering something in Cordy's ear tenderly helped her up.

"Oz… I wonder if you might be able to get in touch with Willow? I think we may need her assistance." Giles asked and Oz nodded and headed for the door, silent as ever.

Picking up the phone again, Giles dialled Buffy's number again.

Hearing the shrill ring of the phone Angel groggily disentangled himself from Buffy's arms, and sat up from the floor where they had fallen asleep barely half and hour before.

"Hello?" He answered taking the phone into the kitchen he eased the door shut behind him so as not to wake Buffy up. "Angel Investigations."

"Hello, this is Rupert Giles. Is this Angel?" Giles guessed.

"Yes." Wracking his memory he recalled the name. "Is this Willow's friend Giles?"

"Yes, I spoke with Buffy earlier."

"About the Slayer, I remember." Seeing Buffy enter the room he smiled, knowing as always his attempt to allow her some sleep had failed, there was something about the bond between then that meant neither of them slept well when they were alone.

"We have located her, but whatever's wrong with her seems to be getting worse. Since Buffy offered to help earlier I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind coming down to have a look."

"Hang on." Covering the handset with one hand he turned to Buffy who was lounging on the bed beside him. "Giles wants us to come down to Sunnydale."

Buffy shrugged. "Sure, I'll go get Pike and Doyle." Rolling off the bed she opened the wardrobe and began flicking through his clothes in search of one of his silk shirts. Rolling his eyes at her obsession with his shirts Angel turned back to his conversation with Giles.

"That's fine, we'll be there in a couple of hours." After exchanging a few pleasantries Angel hung up and shook his head at Buffy who… now dressed in worn jeans, and a white tank top that left covetous inches of flesh visible between the low cut of her jeans and the bottom of the tank. One of his red silk shirts was thrown around her shoulders, and she was busy threading a similar red silk ribbon through the belt holes of the jeans.

"What?" She eventually demanded.

He sighed. "I really don't want to leave this room right now." Sauntering over she gave him a sweet kiss before turning away.

"Sorry baby. Vamps gotta do…"

Flashing into his vampiric guise he seized her and threw her onto the bed tickling her mercilessly.

 

**Part Three**  
_I've got my freedom -_  
But I don't have much time  
Faith has been broken  
Tears must be cried  
Let's do some living  
After love dies  
**Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones**

Cordy had returned to her normal bitchy self before the visitors arrived, having decided that feeling sorry for her self was too pathetic for Queen C. The Sunnydale crew were heartily encouraged by this return to form. They were sitting in the living area, trying to find similarities between the world Cordy described as home, and the world they lived in, when there was a knock at the door. By now somewhat used to people barging in it took Giles a moment to realise what the sound was.

Getting up he opened the door, and was met by a small blonde girl and three men. The girl smiled at his confused expression, before sticking out a hand. "Hey, I'm Buffy." She introduced herself.

"Oh!" Giles sighed now greatly relieved. "Wonderful, come in, all of you." Giles stepped back to let them in; opening the door wider as soon as the tall dark spiky haired man walked in her was seized by Cordy who appeared to have run across the room to wrap him in a bear hug.

"Uh, hi?" The man questioned, looking over Cordy's head at Giles who just shrugged. Buffy, beside him, glared at the dark haired girl who had so wantonly seized her husband.

"Oh god! Angel! I am so glad to see you!" Angel patted Cordy nervously on her back.

"Uh… Who are you?" Letting go of Angel Cordy stepped back so he could look at her closely.

"Don't you recognise me?" She demanded.

"Sorry." Slipping his hand into Buffy's, Angel glanced around the room. "I guess we'd better do introductions." He finally said, seeing the boy eyeing him warily from the sofa. "I'm Angel, this is my wife Buffy-"

"Your what?!" Cordy shrieked and Angel backed away expecting to see smoke come out her ears. "How the hell is that possible?" She eyed him suspiciously. "You are still all grr aren't you?"

Angel cocked one eyebrow. "If you mean am I a vampire… then yeah. There isn't really a cure for that."

The boy on the sofa scrambled to his feet, holding a wooden cross in front of him. "Cordy! You just invited the vamps to an all you can eat buffet at the Giles' residence!"

Cordy turned around and glared at him. "Jeez, you're certainly as impotent as usual, Angel's special, he's got a soul."

"So the hell what!" Xander yelled. "Evil bite-y thing!"

Buffy sighed loudly. "What's up with you guys? I didn't drive all the way here to get yelled at."

Behind her one of the other guys laughed. "Like Angel would ever let you drive his car."

She turned to glare at him. "There's nothing wrong with my driving skills."

All three of the guys suddenly became very interested in the floor. "Whatever darlin'." The third guy had a thick Irish accent and…

"Doyle!" Cordy squealed again. "Why are you hanging around with Buffy?"

"We'd better finish the introductions." Giles prompted.

"'M Doyle." The Irish one agreed his eyes glued to the dark haired slayer in front of him. Eyes sparkling as though he had some mischief in mind.

The last man, a tall and skinny but rugged looking man, with piercing eyes and dark hair nodded at the Slayer. "I'm Pike."

"Well, I'm Giles," the watcher started, "this girl is Cordelia and that is Xander. Hopefully Oz and Willow will be joining us tomorrow I should think, Willow said she would get the first flight back she could."

"Good." Buffy murmured.

Seeing all his guests were still standing by the door he motioned towards the sitting area. "Please sit down, I'll just fetch some tea."

After some polite discussion of seating arrangements Cordy ended up sitting in one of the lazy boys beside the sofa, while Xander, Pike and Doyle shared the couch Doyle carefully situating himself as close to Cordy as he could. Angel sat in one of the other chairs, Buffy promptly sat on the arm of it the pair leaning against each other. There was much eye rolling from Cordy at this. Xander however, sitting close to them, appeared not to object and was watching Buffy with undisguised interest. Angel glared at him, pulling Buffy closer to his chest.

Giles came in before a fight broke out and put the tea down on the coffee table before taking the last seat. "Since, Cordelia insists on interrupting everything you say perhaps we could have a brief history, I have to admit I'm intrigued as to how you got your soul… and then into demon hunting."

"Where should I start?"

"I know about your soul." Cordy interrupted, "he was all evil undead massacring people left and right till he killed this gypsy girl, her clan got majorly pissed and cursed him with a soul so that he would forever be haunted by the memories of everyone he killed." Angel nodded his agreement.

"And when was this?" Giles inquired, leaning closer to Angel free of his initial shock. Xander was still clearly unconvinced.

"About a hundred years ago."

"And you started Angel Investigations then?"

"No. I didn't do anything much for ninety years; I just brooded a lot… I stopped feeding off humans, so I was starving myself to death very slowly."

Cordy appeared to be listening with interest having never heard this part of the story before, briefly she wondered if she should have been more interested in his history, given her interest in him. "Why did you change?" Giles asked.

Now Angel smiled pressing a light kiss to Buffy's forehead. "I met Buffy. I was informed, through a messenger that Buffy was going to be called to be a Slayer, I was supposed to help her… protect her, guide her."

Giles' jaw dropped, Cordy jumped up and pointed at him laughing. "I told you! I told you she's meant to be the Slayer!"

At this Buffy put her hands over her ears. "What is it with you and the yelling?"

"Cordy was right?" Xander echoed "Cordy was right." He tried again, pulling odd faces as he tried to wrap his mind around the concept.

"Hello?" Buffy tried, "Is it useless to point out that I am *not* in anyway shape or form the Slayer. *You* are."

Cordy sat down and leaned forward and motioned for silence. "What happened after you met Buffy?"

Angel shrugged. "I fell in love with her."

Cordy shook her head. "Well duh! Buffy and Angel in love, what a surprise… I mean… you guys are married so you must've done the nasty… in which case how come you aren't all schizophrenic psychopath-y?"

"I did…" Angel replied surprised that this stranger would know such intimate things about his and Buffy's life. "I mean, when we first, but a witch friend of ours Janna cursed me with my soul again and took out the 'moment of happiness' clause"

"There was a clause in you curse?" Giles enquired at the same time as Xander was spluttering something about Buffy having sex with a demon. Cordy ignored them both and ploughed forward with her interrogation.

"How come you arrived in day light and you're not all crispy fried?" Buffy laughed out loud. And held up one of her hands and one of Angel's, there beside their matching silver Claddagh wedding bands were two more silver bands, each with a half of a stone set in the middle.

"It's called the Gem of Amara. One of Angel's sires found it; it makes any vampiric wearer of it invincible. Having stolen it off Spike we got it made into some rings so we can help people in the day time as well as the night."

"You're a vampire?" Cordy echoed. "Well *that's* not the same." She told Giles. "I guess it explains the hair though."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Buffy pouted.

"When were you turned into a vampire?" Xander finally asked – anything to stop a catfight between Buffy and Cordy.

"The day I was meant to get called, when Angel first met me the master Lathos attacked my High School in LA, I guess he knew I was going to be the Slayer and figured he'd turn me while I was still defenceless."

"Why didn't you save her?" Xander demanded of Angel.

"I wasn't there." Angel sighed hanging his head in shame; "I went back to meet Whistler in New York, when I came back Buffy had just risen."

"The first person she met was me." Pike put in, "And I knew about vampires, 'cos my best friend, Benny, had just got turned I was about to stake her when Angel stopped me he knew there was something wonky about Buffy as a vampire."

"What was that?" Giles asked.

"I kept my soul." At everyone's blank faces she sighed and began, "when a person is turned into a vampire they die and their soul goes to the spirit world. That's why it's a big deal that Angel has a soul normally vampires have no soul so they feel no remorse for their actions only pleasure in them. When he got his soul he instantly felt the guilt of a hundred years worth of atrocities his body had committed… but not his soul. When I was turned I kept my soul."

"Why?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. We think maybe it was something to do with me being a potential slayer but… It's hard to say."

"Given that you're all shocked and dismayed about Buffy being a vamp, what happened in your world?" Pike asked Cordelia.

Sitting back Cordy began. "Well it started sorta the same I guess… I don't know everything but I guess Angel must've seen Buffy being called… and you were called, when that Lathos guy turned up you killed him, but you got kicked outta Hemery for burning down the gym and your parents got divorced so you moved to Sunnydale…"

"What happened with me and Angel?" Buffy asked.

Cordy looked suddenly guilty for bringing any of it up, "Look it doesn't matter…"

"What happens?" Buffy asked again a dangerous edge in her voice.

"Uh… well, at first we didn't know Angel was a vampire… and Buffy was all over you… when you kissed Angel vamped out and everyone had a complete wiggins. We were going to kill Angel but Darla turned up and backed up Angel's story that he had a soul before trying to kill you both. Angel staked Darla to save Buffy."

"I recall that happenin' over 'ere as well." Doyle added.

"So uh, then you avoided each other for ages but ended up getting together and uh, had sex, and Angel went all Fangy and killed half our Junior Class before Buffy sent him to hell where he spent a coupla hundred years. Buffy got expelled when the police thought she murdered Kendra-" she deflected the question about Kendra with a wave of her hand. "-so she ran away. I've no idea where she went." She added before anyone could ask. "She came back a few months later and somehow managed to get allowed back into Sunnydale High… I think it was something to do with her mom… Angel came back from Hell and Buffy was hiding him in the mansion on Crawford Street, when everyone else found out they thought Angel was still all evil so Faith – another long story - got sent to kill him. Buffy saved Angel and after that you guys went out on and off till graduation. It was kinda tricky with the whole look but don't touch thing so Angel left at the end of graduation and now he lives in LA with me and Doyle. And Buffy's in Sunnydale guarding the hellmouth." Cordy finished now hoping to swiftly change the subject… given that Angel was looking outraged and Buffy about ready to cry she suspected that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"I guess… while this world is really crappy so far as I'm concerned it's kinda better for you guys here." Cordy offered.

"Yeah." Buffy muttered. Sensing her distress Angel was whispering something in her ear while running his hands over her skin reassuringly.

"So uh… how come you're now in this world instead of yours?" Pike asked.

"I accidentally wished that I was the Slayer instead of Buffy and so the demon Anyanka who I accidentally wished this to, changed the entire world to suit my wish."

"Anyanka?" Xander laughed, "You mean Anya?"

"Yeah… she went by that at the end of Sunnydale High." Cordy agreed seeing everyone's confused looks she sighed, "look this isn't the first time a wish has been granted and it's gone incredibly badly but it's a whole long story and I don't know how to fix it because I *died* before Giles turned it all back. And given that dying *really* isn't on my list of priorities I'd really appreciate it if you could fix this."

"Well she goes to UC Sunnydale with you… her number's probably in your room."

"Great. Where is my room?"

"Oh." Giles pointed upstairs. "Up there, third door on the right."

"I live with you?" Cordy complained then threw up her arms in frustration. "I can't believe this, Buffy doesn't have to live with you."

"It's standard Slayer practice." Xander reminded her.

"Yeah, but Buffy's not a standard Slayer… and I'll be damned if I'm going to be one." Turning to Buffy she shook her fist. "Let's get this straight… I don't like you. If I had my way I would never have had anything to do with you and trust me when I say when I get back home I'm going to work out how this is all your fault."

Buffy stood up folding her arms and raised one eyebrow. "For the last four years me and Angel have been night-tripping to Sunnydale to clear up your hellmouth… I *am* a better Slayer than you even without the superpowers."

Pike jumped to his feet "Heh… why doesn't Cordy go get this chick Anya's number, and me and Buff can just go for a quick patrol."

"It's daylight, Pike." Buffy replied.

"Yep… ain't that a killer. C'mon let's work on your tan." Pike prompted, as he dragged Buffy toward the door. Angel stood and motioned toward the door.

"I'm just gunna go… uh… book a hotel reservation…" he covered before he could hurry after the pair Giles stopped him.

"Do you think there's anything you can do to help?"

"I don't know." He replied honestly, "I can make a few calls see if there's been an inter dimensional disturbance…" He shrugged. "But right now I think I really ought to go after my wife."

 

**Part Four**

The four from LA didn't return for another five hours or so, it took that long for Buffy to find something sufficiently dangerous to beat up until she felt better. When they did return Willow and her wolf were at Giles' researching vengeance demons while Cordy was glaring at Anya who was eating cake on the sofa completely non-pulsed by the world she had created.

When Willow saw Buffy she rushed over to wrap her in a hug. "Oh Buffy! Cordy told me all about the other me's and you's and everything and it's so sad and I feel so awful, so even though you aren't the other you that I did bad stuff to I want to say I'm really sorry."

Buffy laughed. "Thanks Willow… but it's really not necessary."

"I wanted to say it anyway."

"Well then… I'm sorry about the things I must've done to you."

Anya sighed from the sofa. "Quite honestly I think this world is much better than the other one… I mean I did you all a favour… Willow got to go to her prestigious University, Buffy and Angel get to hump like non-evil-bunnies for the rest of eternity, Cordy got to be the Slayer… it's all good to go." Putting her plate down she stood up and moved toward the door. "So I'm going to be on my way now…"

"Hey! You are not getting away with that!" Cordy protested forcibly pushing Anya back into her seat.

"As much as I hate this girl I have to agree… Even if my life in this world is better… it's still wrong… besides who's to say me and Angel won't get our happily ever after in this other world? Maybe we just haven't got it yet," she shrugged, "but in the meantime we should get everything back to normal." Buffy turned to Willow. "Have you got any idea how to put this right?"

"Yeah… Giles and I figured it out, it's quite simple really just a basic spell and breaking Anya's power source."

"So let's do that." Buffy moved toward Anya flicking into her vampiric guise. "Where is it?"

Anya just scoffed. "Oh please, like I've never seen that before."

Angel growled and grabbing Anya by the neck pulled her over the back of the sofa so she was being held above the floor high heeled sandals kicking vainly. "This body is human… and you know human bodies… they break so easily." Buffy moulded herself into Angel's side and smiled sadistically at her.

"And they make such pretty colours… the red against the white…" She commented brushing one finger against Anya's cheek.

"All right! Jeez, put me down!" Dropping Anya unceremoniously on the floor she pulled herself up. "You don't have to do the whole break the power source thing… I can revert everything myself." Brushing lint off her clothes she searched her clothing for something. "D'Hoffryn is going to be so mad at me."

"We can sort it out?" Cordy breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"What's going to happen to us?" Buffy asked Anya.

Anya just shrugged. "You'll cease to exist - become your old selves again."

"So… Angel and I… this never happened?" Anya nodded. Slipping back to her human face Buffy felt tears crawl down her cheeks wrapping her arms around Angel she kissed him before pressing her face into his shoulder. "I'll never forget." She whispered, as he pulled her closer to him, trying to pull her inside him inside somehow protect her… keep her with him always.

Burying his face in her hair he breathed in her scent crying bitter tears into her hair. "Shh… baby. We'll make it work, there… it'll be fine, I swear…"

"Are you guys ready?" Anya asked, now sitting cross-legged on the floor, amulet in one hand.

Turning to face her Buffy nodded slowly.

Seeing her pain Cordy wrestled with her conscience for a moment before stepping forward… "Wait… if you guys… if you're saying it's okay, for me… then." She sighed unbelieving of what she was going to say. "You don't have to. You can keep this world… if you want."

Taking a deep breath Angel searched Buffy's eyes for a moment before shaking his head. "If this world is wrong… then I think… maybe it's not up to us, anymore than it's up to you. We have to put it back to normal, even if it hurts."

Cordy sighed in relief. "Good 'cos I don't know what I'd've done if you changed your minds. But… I get the feeling that once this is done I'm going to be the only one that remembers."

"Yeah." Anya agreed.

"So… could you tell me who you got to do the spell and stuff on you and the rings and everything… 'cos I'd feel bad if I knew how to make you… well way happier than you are at the moment… and I didn't do it."

Angel nodded. "Okay… well, Janna who did the spell on my soul goes by the name Jenny Calendar…" Seeing Cordy's face he cocked his head at her. "What?"

"You killed her in my world."

"Oh." Depression sank into the atmosphere.

"Oh hey!" Pike suddenly jumped up… "There was another girl there that helped her, her niece or something, Janna said she was working on the translation with her, maybe she could help."

"Great! What's her name?"

"Latana Calendar, she lives on the corner of Fourth and West in our world."

Doyle gave him an odd look. "How come you know where she lives?" Pike just grinned.

"What about the rings?"

"It's the Gem of Amara." Buffy repeated, "Spike found it… in Sunnydale I think under the motorway - there was a cave in." Buffy supplied.

"Willow did a spell to split it without breaking the spell so we could have half each." Angel added.

"Well… since Angel's the only vamp hopefully we'll only need one… but check, Latana Calendar – Forth and West, Amara, Sunnydale, motorway, Spike. Okay." Cordy clapped her hands together. "Great… do you know the affect worrying about your boss turning into an evil psycho killer can have on your complexion?"

"Are you ready now?" Anya demanded.

Checking the faces of everyone around them, Giles saw each person nod, hesitantly but there was agreement everywhere. "See you soon." He said, and Anya began. Bright white light blinding the group she began to chant in an ancient tongue…

"Cordelia!" Doyle yelled rushing through the open door of her apartment as he caught sight of her body slumped on the sofa, a bottle of wine smashed on the floor beside her. Coming too at the sound of his voice Cordy slowly lifted herself up to a sitting position. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously running his eyes over her body.

"Uh… yeah…" Pulling herself to her feet Cordy ran one hand through her hair. "What just happened?"

"I don't know, I followed you back from Angel's and you were all unconscious when I got here." Putting one hand on her shoulder he felt the familiar flicker of electricity at the touch. "Are you sure you're okay? You looked kind o' upset."

Cordy smiled into his eyes seeing something she hadn't quite noticed before. "I'm fine… I was just being really stupid."

"Ya sure?"

"Yes." She motioned toward the kitchen. "Do you want to get something to drink? I sort of had a really good idea how to help Angel."

"Really? When you were unconscious?" Doyle probed.

"Well… sort of." She smiled reassuringly. "Let's just say… I had a change of heart."

Bear hours later Cordy and Doyle were sitting in front of Angel's desk.

" - So we called her and she said she'd be perfectly happy to do the alterations and cast the spell." Cordy finished waiting with bated breath for Angel's response.

"I don't know," he began… "Okay so I'd be able to make love to Buffy… but that's not everything, there's other things to consider, I'd still be dead. I wouldn't be able to have children or take her out in the sunshine…"

"So far as the sunshine thing goes just wait, I foresee a cure for that arriving in the next few weeks."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "There really isn't a cure for the sunlight thing."

"There is. Trust me on this."

"Fine." Angel sighed running one hand through his already mussed hair. "What about kids?"

"What about them? Do you really want your kid to be the target of every crime fraction, demonic and non- in the entire of California? If circumstances changed so that you could safely have a kid," she shrugged, "who knows? There's always adoption."

"But it's not-"

"If you say 'a normal life' I'm going to stake you now." A voice came from the doorway.

"Buffy." Angel breathed standing up to take in the silky waves of her golden hair, the tight jeans and light sweater that seemed to do nothing but accentuate the natural curves of his beloved.

"Angel." She replied. Stepping forward she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "Please let me have a say in this."

Cordy stood up beside Buffy. "Look, I don't like Buffy, everyone is perfectly aware of this… but knowing that you guys could have something I couldn't just sit by and watch you not take it. You've given up so much… for me as well as the world as a whole… I can't be responsible for you guys being miserable." Buffy stared at Buffy in shock. "You'd better remember this, 'cos me being on your side? - It's never going to happen again."

"Okay." Angel agreed.

"And don't get stuck on the whole normal thing 'cos if you two ever did anything the normal way I'd die of shock and-"

"Cordelia!" Angel prompted.

"Hmm?"

"I said: okay."

She smiled. "Great."

"So… you can leave now." Buffy hinted.

"Oh, right yeah. I'm just gunna go… visit Latana." She nodded quickly grabbing Doyle's arm to drag him out of the room.

When they had gone and the door had clicked shut behind them Angel and Buffy turned back to each and shared a nervous smile.

"How much did you hear?" Angel asked.

"Pretty much all of it."

"Then… what do you think?" He nervously put forward, moving round to the front of his desk to lean on it.

"I think… anything that means no more worry about Angelus running loose has got to be a good thing." She said, seeing his disappointment she stepped forward so they were bare touchable inches from each other. "And maybe… if you wanted there to be something with us… I'd like that."

It was a full five seconds before Angel had seized her in his arms and was kissing her senseless. Jumping up to wrap her legs around his waist she moaned against his lips, shifting her position to try and get there bodies that much closer, as their tongues battled in a passionate dance for dominance.

Outside their office Doyle heard the sound of shattering glass and looked anxiously toward the door. "What's that?"

"Oh… that's just part of the Buffy and Angel show, first they talk out their differences then they punch them out." Fluttering around at her desk Cordy packed things into her bag.

"Don't ya think we should do something?" He prodded now increasingly concerned by the sounds he was hearing.

Seeing his determination Cordy sighed throwing her arms up in the air. "Fine, if you want to stick your nose where it doesn't belong… just don't blame me when it gets flattened."

Ignoring her Doyle pushed the door to Angel's office open – Just in time to see Angel lower Buffy down on to his desk devouring her lips as she writhed against him. Eyes wide in shock he just stood there. Curious Cordy snuck over to his side and peeked in. "Guys!" She yelled, so that they rolled off the desk anxiously straightening their clothes. "We haven't done the spell yet!"

"Uh yeah." Buffy nodded blushing as she slipped her hand into Angel's. "Could you uh… do that… kinda soon?"

**The End**


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